Everybody welcome…

Deva in the Kusala Conservatory

Last Sunday many people came to celebrate ‘Songkran’ – New Year or the Water Pouring Festival, as it is known in South-East Asian countries. All went well; people restrained themselves from throwing water on each other, as is a favorite custom in Thailand. Anumodana for the many offerings brought on that day.

Kusala House is still serving as the heart (or rather the stomach) of our monastery. Two weeks of kitchen rebuilding up in the house can sometimes last longer then fourteen days… At the moment workers are diligently finishing the lighting, floor, sink etc. and putting everything in order to make it usable for the forthcoming Pa Pah ceremony – sort of an out-of-season-Kathina, taking place on Thursday 24th of April. The day will start around 10am with preparations for the meal offering which is at 11am, followed by chanting, a Dhamma talk… Needless to say everyone is very welcome, and while you are checking your diary also mark 7pm on 17th of May, the Big Day for Shramanera Do Gat, who will receive his samanera ordination (pabbajja). Everyone is welcome to attend. On this coming Saturday, as we announced earlier, voluntary work day – emptying the workshop so Kath’s retreatants can use it as the additional space when Ajahn Anandabodhi comes to teaches the retreat in the beginning of May. The workday will start at 8-9am and needless to say… everybody welcome!

That would be all for this New Year which started on Sunday. It doesn’t feel as anything new and there are good reasons for it: At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: “Bhikkhus, this running on from existence to existence is without discoverable beginning. A beginning point is not evident of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving... it is enough to ..... become dispassionate, enough to be liberated.”

[Sukhita Sutta, SN 15.11]